The George Magistrates’ Court was the scene of intense proceedings on Thursday as the bail hearing for the two suspects accused of murdering businessman Mark Lifman continued.
Mark Lifman bail hearing: Here’s what happened in court today
The matter, after a full day of testimony and cross-examination, was adjourned until Friday.
During the hearing, startling testimony emerged from a car guard who claimed to have witnessed the chilling final moments of Lifman’s life.
The guard stated he heard the alleged underworld figure scream “No!” seconds before gunshots rang out, striking him fatally.
Lifman was gunned down at the Garden Route Mall in George while walking towards his blue Ford Raptor.
The post-mortem revealed he was struck by five bullets and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
According to records presented in court, Lifman was in George on a golf trip with friends at the nearby Fancourt Golf Estate.
The murder weapon remains unaccounted for, with authorities confirming it was not recovered at the scene or during subsequent investigations.
Defence pleads for bail, denies guilt
The defence, represented by prominent attorney Advocate Mike Hellens SC, read the affidavits of the accused—Jacobs and Bezuidenhout—into the court record.
Both suspects pleaded not guilty to the charge of premeditated murder.
They assured the court of their commitment to comply with bail conditions, including surrendering their passports and refraining from interfering with witnesses or the investigation.
State prosecutors, however, presented a damning timeline of events.
The suspects were arrested near Uniondale shortly after Lifman’s murder. They were reportedly captured on CCTV at a farm outside George, where they were seen changing the license plates of a VW Polo allegedly used in the crime.
In court, the accused were closely observed by Lifman’s associates, including Jerome “Donkie” Booysen, André Naudé, and Booysen’s son Joel.
Tensions escalated when Naudé reportedly taunted Bezuidenhout as the suspects were escorted into holding cells—a moment laden with gangland implications.
The hearing will resume on Friday, where both the defence and prosecution are expected to deliver final arguments on whether Jacobs and Bezuidenhout should be granted bail.